Tribute to a Bad Man (1956)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Michael Blankfort (story) and
Jack Schaefer (short story)

Release Date:

April 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

As it really was! A big, blazing drama of the West!

Plot:

Jeremy Rodock is a tough horse rancher who strings up rustlers soon as look at them. Fresh out of Pennsylvania...

Plot Keywords:

Rancher | Lynching | Ocarina | Horse Ranch | Pitchfork

Cast

James Cagney	...	Jeremy Rodock
Don Dubbins	...	Steve Millar
Stephen McNally	...	McNulty
Irene Papas	...	Jocasta Constantine
Vic Morrow	...	Lars Peterson
James Griffith	...	Barjak
Onslow Stevens	...	Hearn
James Bell	...	L.A. Peterson
Jeanette Nolan	...	Mrs. L.A. Peterson
Chubby Johnson	...	Baldy
Royal Dano	...	Abe
Lee Van Cleef	...	Fat Jones
Peter Chong	...	Cooky

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System) | 4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Norway:16 (1956) | Australia:G | West Germany:12 (f) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1998)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Spencer Tracy was cast as Jeremy Roderick, but was replaced by James Cagney.

Quotes:

Jeremy Rodock: You know, I ain't got you figured yet, McNulty. You act like a man with a lot of ideas. But all of them second rate...and not one honorable.

Good Western

A story of a few people in a wide, big country.

Plenty of scenery emphasises the remoteness and isolation of Rodock's valley. 200 miles from anywhere else, Rodock is the law, there being no-one else to police his horse range. Cagney gives a fine portrayal of the stern stony-heart towards those who cross him or steal his horses, who fails to comprehend Steve and Jo, the ones who represent humanitarian conscience, kindness and mercy.

Because it's partly an emblematic morality tale, we get a few too many long significant looks and widescreen shots to make it look big, but there's a good strong plotline to hold it together. It's not a shoot 'em up, just some rustling wars between neighbouring farmers who hate each other's guts, and some jealousy over the woman, but it hangs together decently enough.

The characters aren't exactly complex, but the actors all turn in better than average performances.

It's a very well-made movie, fairly simple ingredients put together by a really good cook, if very slightly ponderously.